


Romancing the Crown

by Skirdus



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft (Comics)
Genre: Action & Romance, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Minor Character Death, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-17
Packaged: 2018-09-15 18:46:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9250835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skirdus/pseuds/Skirdus
Summary: With the loss of her dear friend Varian Wrynn, Valeera Sanguinar looks to preserve his legacy and secure Stormwind and the Alliance from the Legion's destructive reign. In doing so, she may very well explore a relationship she hadn't before considered...Loosely follows an altered version of the events of the Rogue Order Hall Campaign.





	1. Into the Shadows

Dalaran. It was a lovely city, really. Valeera Sanguinar had only ever seen such majesty once before: Silvermoon City. Her days as a youth were over, but her days as a thug? Those had yet to fully end. She was quite grateful for the Kirin Tor's change in leadership, as without it, Jaina Proudmoore would have likely had her imprisoned or even slain for the mere color of her eyes. Dark blonde hair gently flowing out from her crimson hood, the sin'dorei sneered a bit at the thought, discarding it swiftly and, in order to focus on something else for the time being, electing to idly pace the streets and gaze at the floating city's natural beauty.

It wasn't long before the rogue found her train of thought penetrated by a verbal interruption, "Valeera Sanguinar? A moment please. I bear an urgent message for you."

She turned swiftly, only to met with a messenger donned from head to toe in raven-like apparel. In her hand was a sealed letter, likely meant for Valeera herself. The blood elf gawked at the courier for a moment, speaking with the slightest bit of confusion in her tone, "For me?"

The messenger nodded, wordlessly offering the letter to its intended recipient. Cautiously, Valeera took the parchment in her grasp, to which the courier advised, "This is for your eyes only. Once you've read it, destroy it." The blood elf nodded, and in an instant did the messenger vanish from sight.

The former gladiator didn't bother questioning what had just transpired, instead carefully striding into a nearby vacant alley and unsealing the letter in her hands. Leaning up against a wall, she silently read it over:

> _Valeera, your presence is requested in the Hall of Shadows at once. Enter the Glorious Goods storefront and utter "the raven calls" to Red. He will show you the way. Come alone, and ensure you are not followed. The eyes of the Uncrowned are upon you._

Her eyes widened only slightly. "The Uncrowned..." she quietly repeated, uncertain as to what this apparent organization had in mind. After a soft exhale had passed through her nostrils, she rolled the message back up in gripped it tightly, beginning to make her way to the location in question.

Within the section of Dalaran known as the Eventide, Valeera found what she was looking for. Reading the store's sign twiceover as to ensure it was the right place, she cautiously made her way into the building. "Red" Jack Findle, seemingly the owner of the establishment awaited her within, offering the blood elf an amicable smile and greeting her, "Looking for something specific today?"

The rogue, her footsteps silent, approached the vendor with a flat expression. After reaching the counter Jack stood behind, she leaned close and uttered the phrase, "The raven calls."

The male's own expression turned equally flat at that, and he spoke in return, "And we will answer from the shadows."

With that, the wall to Valeera's left gradually began to swing open, revealing a hidden passage into the city's depths. Without another word, Jack gestured to the tunnel ahead. Valeera offered him a slight nod of gratitude, then began to descend into the passageway.

After travelling down several flights of stairs, Valeera had entered what appeared to be some kind of sewer system beneath Dalaran. Before she could take another step, a hooded man leapt from the shadows and blocked her path, to which the blood elf yelped in surprise. The man, Milton Beats, called out, "Only a fool walks in the Hall of Shadows unaware! Prepare to-" He paused, then took a moment to look Valeera over. Suddenly, a bit of regret wove itself into his expression. "Oh, Valeera. I didn't realize it was you... My apologies. The Uncrowned await your arrival," he remarked, then took to the shadows once more and vanished just as spontaneously as he'd appeared. The blood elf simply stood there for a moment, baffled by what had just transpired. Clenching her teeth together, she shook her head, then proceeded onward. These 'Uncrowned' were certainly an occult bunch by the looks of things.

Up ahead, she found herself once more halted by an obstruction: a door, with seemingly no way to be opened. Valeera's brows furrowed in frustration, and she began peering around in hopes of finding some way to unlock it. After a moment of contemplation, she fixed her gaze upon a torch just beside the door. Remembering the courier's warning, she took the parchment in her hand, crumpled it up, and stuffed it into the torch's flames. As the message disintegrated into ashes, an idea popped into Valeera's head. Experimentally, the rogue reached for the base of the torch, grasping it and attempting to bend it. Her intuition proved resourceful, as the torch, after rotating with ease, triggered a mechanism within the door which caused it to open. A satisfied smile fell upon Valeera's face as she proceeded into the chamber ahead.

It wasn't long before the blood elf entered a large hall of sorts, a table at its center and a variety of characters seated at it. One of them, a man with the attire of a pirate and a parrot on his shoulder, looked to Valeera. He was the first to speak, "Ah! There's our final member. Welcome to the crew!"

A toothy grin adorned Fleet Admiral Tethys's face, to which the rogue nervously smiled back. She didn't have a moment to dwell upon the situation further, as the next person to speak was a pandaren; one of the more enigmatic races of Azeroth, and one Valeera hadn't often come into contact with. "Don't worry, they're friendlier than they look," Taoshi spoke, subtly gesturing to the others.

A soft giggle left the sin'dorei, and she found her tension gradually melting away at the apparent friendliness of this group of strangers. She looked to another member of what seemed to be an organization, her gaze falling upon the face of Tess Greymane: princess of Gilneas. Though no words were exchanged between the two, the human granted Valeera a friendly grin. The blood elf then peered at the only face she actually recognized: that of Garona Halforcen. She granted the assassin a smile and remarked, "Garona! Is that you?"

The half-breed looked to the newcomer, then gave her a tusked grin in returned, "Valeera. It's good to see you."

The next to speak appeared to be a man of importance, as he was located at the far end of the table. His hairs grey and his garbs ornate, the male looked to be the leader of the group. "I'm pleased you chose to heed our call. We've discussed inviting you into our ranks for some time," affirmed Jorach Ravenholdt, a hardly perceptible grin upon his aged features.

Pleasantly intrigued, a flattered Valeera replied, "Me? I'm honored, but... what is all this?"

Earnestly, Jorach responded to the blood elf's inquiry, "We're offering you a seat at our table, Valeera. Take it, and your questions will be answered. You have but to sit." He gestured to the only vacant seat, to which the sin'dorei glanced at it. Apprehensive about doing so for only a moment, she lowered herself into the seat and nodded, awaiting the explanation she desired.

Once Valeera was seated, Jorach started to pace around the room. He began to explain, his voice carrying the wisdom of one who'd seen much in his time, "We are the Shadows, leaders of the Uncrowned. We employ a variety of methods to ensure the safety of Azeroth... and to secure out rightful place within it. Not the least of these methods is secrecy. As our titles suggest, we prefer to stay in the shadows. But the events of the Broken Shore have forced our hand. We haven't the time for subtlety." Just then, a pang of sorrow wracked Valeera's heart. She recalled just what Jorach was speaking of, and how it had resulted in... Varian's passing.

As the sin'dorei fought back a single tear, Jorach continued with his expository dialogue, "We invite you to this table because we are confident you have the skills to face this threat directly... and to prevail. Settle in, then we can discuss the details."

Once he'd finished, Tess piped up, "Good to have a new face at the table! I was getting tired of Tethys's ugly mug anyways... No offense, Tethys."

The pirate-esque member of the Uncrowned gave a low chuckle. "None taken... so long as ye don't insult me face!" the Fleet Admiral snickered, raising a half-emptied stein of ale in the princess's direction.

Tess smirked in kind as Taoshi spoke next, "I've heard many tales of your accomplishments. I can't imagine half of them could be true."

Now fighting back a blush, Valeera grinned complacently at the pandaren. "Thanks. I do what I can," she responded.

Garona nodded, adding onto Taoshi's praise, "Indeed. She's made quite a name for herself, this one."

After returning to his seat, Jorach pulled from his pocket an insignia of sorts and offered it to Valeera. She looked it over only briefly, taking it in her palm and nodding to the male. "That insignia marks you as one of us. Carry it with you always," Jorach explained, confident in the sin'dorei's ability to follow such a simple instruction. Sliding the insignia into her attire, Valeera found herself imbued with a newfound sense of purpose.

From across the table, Garona addressed her ally with a remorseful tone, "...I know you're still mourning Varian, Valeera. We all are. He gave his life so that we could succeed. Never forget that." The blood elf slowly sighed, looking to her companion with an expression that relayed great sorrow beneath her ordinarily cool exterior. "With that being said... His kingdom might yet be in trouble," Garona warned. Emerald eyes that belonged to the sin'dorei widened as the assassin continued, "There's been a plethora of dark rituals sighted in the southern region of the Eastern Kingdoms; dangerously close to Elwynn and, of course, Stormwind City."

Valeera's thoughts immediately went to one person: Anduin. The priest had been prematurely crowned king after his father's demise, and now this? She wouldn't allow another Wrynn to be taken from her life; not if she could help it. Determination gradually came to fill the sin'dorei's features, and Garona explained, "That's why I'm glad you're here. You and I are the only ones with any knowledge of the location. I trust you'd be willing to help me preserve Lo'Gosh's legacy."

Swiftly, Valeera nodded, then replied with resolution dripping from her voice, "Of course. Anything for Varian... and Anduin." For whatever reason, the blood elf felt her heartbeat grow a bit faster at the mention of the former prince.

Attempting to ignore it for the time being, she listened closely to the half-orc's words, "I'm going to scout the outskirts of the city itself. We believe there may be some cultist activity occurring over at the Altar of Storms in the Blasted Lands and Raven Hill in Duskwood. Can you handle it, Valeera?"

Again, the former gladiator dipped her head in confirmation and responded, "Mhm. I'll take care of it."

A confident smile on Garona's face, she instructed, "We'll rendezvous just outside the city once you're done. Stay safe, Valeera."

A devious snicker preceded the sin'dorei's reply, "No promises." And with that, the two of them got up from their seats, moving to exit the Hall and make their way towards their respective destinations.

Jorach gave them a wave as they departed, "Good luck, you two."

Luck was most certainly what they were going to need.


	2. From Dawn to Dusk

Blessed didn't begin to describe how Valeera felt upon reuniting with her trusted wind rider companion, Bristlefur. It was because of him that she was able to make her way to her first destination: the Altar of Storms. Soaring above the Blasted Lands on the back of her wyvern, the sin'dorei peered down at what appeared to be a gathering a cultists below. As a rogue, she found herself unwilling to face them all simultaneously. Thus, she made plans to incapacitate them one by one. "Down, Bristlefur!" she called out, gesturing towards a nearby hillside where he could land. The beast obeyed, beginning to dip down out of the clouds and towards the bluff. Blonde strands of hair danced violently about Valeera's hood as the wind threw itself against her face, but she and Bristlefur managed to make it down safely. Once the wyvern was fully grounded, she gently scratched at his mane and instructed, "Stay here. I'll be right back." Letting out a soft growl of confirmation, Bristlefur did as he was told. Valeera then dismounted the wind rider and took to the shadows, beginning to stealth her way up to the altar.

Valeera acted swiftly and efficiently, delivering hidden and unseen blows to the back of acolytes' heads that would succeed in knocking them out. As their bodies fell to the ground, their allies would then rush to check up on them; a result that solidified their role as a distraction. Once the majority of cultists had been either incapacitated or diverted from their tasks, the rogue began to make her way towards the altar itself. It was then that she cringed, disgusted by the site of fresh corpses - acolytes that had either willingly or unwillingly sacrificed themselves - littering the place. Channeling blood magic at the base of the unholy site was a man covered from head to toe in dark garments: Caden Shadowgaze.

A grimace her expression, Valeera began to creep towards him from the shadows; that is, until she heard Caden speak without facing her, "They gave their lives willingly to the cause. Won't you?" With that, the acolyte spun around and hurled a shadowbolt in Valeera's direction. She just barely managed to leap out of its path, broken from her stealth and skidding across the ground on her hands and knees.

Glaring at the male, she drew her fel daggers from her sides and spat in reply, "Never. I want to live this life of mine, thanks!"

She began to charge towards Caden, intending to drive her blades into his chest. The cultist, in the time it took Valeera to approach him, managed to retrieve his stave from his back and used it to parry the other's would-be blow. "It is not too late for you. Submit, and take your place in the new order!" he beckoned, using his strength to push Valeera away. The blood elf grunted, emerald eyes fixating on Caden as he began to conjure another wave of insidious shadow to unleash upon her.

Baring her teeth, Valeera sneered back, "My place is with my allies; with my friends!" Vanishing in a plume of smoke, she relocated herself behind the man and managed to deliver a slice to his spine. Caden cried out in agony, recoiling away from the sin'dorei as blood began to spill from his wound. He turned to face her, his contemptuous look veiled behind the cowl he wore.

"Can you not feel it? The warm embrace of the Legion comes. You need only welcome it!" To that measly comment Valeera refused to respond, instead beginning to rush her opponent once more; her sprint accompanied by a vicious battle cry. Despite his wound, Caden did not falter, his hands starting to manipulate the powers of the spilled blood all around him as he came to a revelation, "You are not worth saving. Die, miserable worm!" A gaze of hers that could kill was now fixed upon her cultist foe.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," hissed Valeera, succeeding in driving her blade straight through Caden's throat.

Dark crimson ichor, only mildly stained with fel taint from the blood elf's weapon, flowed from the wound in his neck; and as he collapsed to the ground, he hissed his final words, "You are too late. We are... everywhere..."

"That's enough out of you," Valeera sneered, brushing a bit of soot and blood from her frame. Sheathing her blades, she approached Caden's body, kneeling down and beginning to comb through the late cultist's belongings. Her features formed a flat, emotionless expression as she did so. Eventually, she came across a coded message, its contents indecipherable to her naked eye. A frustrated sigh escaped Valeera, though she held onto the memorandum for the time being; just in case it could prove to be of further use later on down the line. Carefully did the rogue make her way back to Bristlefur. The wyvern purred contently as she approached, a smile forming on Valeera's face as she hopped back atop him. "I missed you too. Now, to Raven Hill!" she instructed, to which the wind rider took to the skies as his rider held on tight.

 

This flight, compared to the one she'd made from Dalaran to the Blasted Lands, was much shorter. Swooping down into the decrepit canopy of Duskwood, Bristlefur landed in the center of the abandoned town of Raven Hill, the blood elf and wyvern seemingly its only current occupants. Again did Valeera dismount her wind rider companion, and again did she instruct him to wait for her return. Skulking towards the tavern, the blood elf took to the shadows once more just in case she was not, in fact, alone. Her instincts proved right, as the inn, she found, was occupied by cultists just as the Altar had been. Moving quickly, Valeera maneuvered through the darkness and, making her way upstairs, succeeded in avoiding being spotted; though a handful times, an acolyte peered in her direction as if they'd seen something, only to be met with nothing.

Within one of the upper rooms was there another cultist of importance: Felcaller Whitley. "Yes... yes!" They draw closer with each moment," the male muttered to himself. The chamber he was using to perform a dark ritual, as indicated by the glowing circle of fel just beneath him, was guarded by one of his neophytes; though they soon found themselves incapacitated by a blow from Valeera. This, however, caught the attention of Whitley, who quickly turned to face the disturbance and spoke, "You will not interrupt my work. The Legion will have this world!"

Emerald eyes glowing within the lack of illumination, Valeera replied, "Not on your life!" She rushed into the room and drew her blades, leaping for Whitley and attempting to impale him upon her weapons.

The man dodged her attack, sliding backwards and drawing felfire to his palms as he called out, "Our new masters can make us more than mere mortals, don't you see?" He launched a bolt of felfire towards the blood elf, yet unlike before, Valeera didn't succeed at evading a projectile. It seared her arm, causing the retort she had in mind to be replaced by a loud and pained wince. Raising the arm that wasn't scorched, she sprinted towards Whitley and tried to drive her dagger into his stomach, only to have the acolyte teleport out of her path; more specifically, behind her. "The Veiled Hand will rule this shattered world. We herald a new beginning! Holy hellfire will rain from the sky and bathe us in the Legion's might! We will become unstoppable!" Forming dual felbolts at his palms, Whitley began conjuring a vicious assault of demonic magic. Valeera whirled around and, again using her unsinged arm, hurled one of her blades towards the man's chest.

"Do you EVER shut up?!" she shouted at the fanatic, sweat pouring down her face by this point. In the end, her attack was successful, the weapon lodging itself in Whitley's abdomen and interrupting his casting.

Blood trickled out from the wound, and Valeera's victim, as he gripped onto the weapon's handle and attempted to remove the shiv from his flesh, ragingly exclaimed, "Usurper! Thief! Scoundrel! You will not deny our glorious destiny!" Once Whitley had spoken what were to be his final words, the blood elf bounded across the room, leapt gracefully into the air, and skillfully drove her heel into the blunt end of the dagger in his skin. The blade, pushed all the way through the man's body, swiftly burst from his back, culminating in a rather gory mess.

As blood began to pool all around the man's corpse, Valeera rose from the floor and surveyed the damage. "Looks like I just did," she chided, clutching her charred flesh and stepping towards Whitley's body. She began to, with her good arm, search it just as she had Caden's. The moment she came across the cipher in the man's possession, she began to hear voices and movement just below her. It was obvious at this point that the commotion of the two's brawl had finally drawn the attention of the acolytes she'd stealthed past. Quickly shoving the parchment into her attire, Valeera entered the shadows and began to make her way out of the aged building, carefully evading the frantic and rushing cultists as she did so.

Returning to her trusty wyvern, the blood elf retrieved the cipher and coded message on her person, intending to use the former to decrypt the latter. Its contents disturbed Valeera greatly:

> _Brother Shadowgaze, it is time for our glorious ascension. Make haste to Darkshire. Sister Ebonlocke has gathered the Skull and Blood of the Innocents. She awaits your escort. May the Legion guide you, and do not forget to destroy this letter. We must leave nothing to chance._

Although the rogue found herself slightly amused that Caden hadn't been as competent as she, the contents of the message drove worry and even a bit of fear into her expression. Hastily did she rush forth and mount Bristlefur, commanding the wind rider to ascend with brusque words, "To Darkshire. Hurry!" The wyvern did as he was told, his wings beginning to flap as the two of them rose into the skies of Duskwood.

 

 

Landing in a decrepit pumpkin patch just outside of town, Bristlefur treaded the soil for a moment before coming to a halt. Valeera silently leapt from his back, veiling herself as she crept towards Darkshire. Instantaneously was she was horrified by what she saw: defiled bodies and corpses lining the streets, with treacherous members of the Night Watch patrolling about. Gritting her teeth, the sin'dorei began to make her way into the area, silent as she searched for the two ritual items noted by the missive she'd transcribed.

Upon sneaking her way into the blacksmith, Valeera came across two sights; one good and one bad. The pleasant sight was the Skull of the Innocent, placed upon a rather demonic-looking altar. The other was that of Chef Grual, the cook apparently having defected alongside the Night Watch. He was busy using a bloody hatchet to cut into one of the many cadavers inside the building.

"Bastard..." she muttered beneath her breath, skulking close to Grual and, once in position, clamping one hand over his mouth while using the other to drive one of her blades through his spine. The butcher screamed against her palm, yet a minimal amount of noise escaped through it. As his eyelids fell and blood slithered out from the wound, the blood elf let his body drop to the ground, then knelt down and searched it for anything of importance; nothing. Quickly grabbing the skull, Valeera took to the shadows once more and made her way towards the inn, careful to avoid the Night Watch as she did so.

Inside, she found more sacrificial corpses. Sighing mournfully, Valeera wordlessly vowed to avenge the fallen. She could only hope that Anduin had nothing to do with the massacre at hand. After making her way upstairs, the rogue entered one of the bedrooms and found it lined with a lavender ritual circle, as well as more bodies. In the middle was a vat of crimson ichor: the Blood of the Innocent. Disgusted by the sight of it, Valeera cautiously approached the bowl, retrieving an empty vial from her pockets and using it to collect some of the sanguine substance. After the deed was done, she stealthed once again and proceeded to make her way towards the town hall: where Sister Ebonlocke likely was at the moment.

Valeera, after reaching and entering the location in question, came across the sight of a number of councilmen - Lord Ello Ebonlocke among them - standing before the aforementioned Sister Althea Ebonlocke, leader of the Night Watch. From the shadows did the blood elf stare at her target, the raven-haired human adorned in chainmail and speaking vehemently to the crowd before her, "All goes as planned. Once Brother Shadowgaze arrives, we leave for Stormwind!"

Stormwind. That was where Anduin was. Valeera couldn't let that happen. She HAD to succeed. Hastily making her way towards where Althea was standing, the sin'dorei prepared to end the the betrayer's life once and for all. Just as she had positioned herself behind Sister Ebonlocke, the Night Watch's leader suddenly drove her elbow directly into Valeera's stomach, knocking the rogue from her position. The rogue fell to her knees and clutched her middle with a pained wince.

"Assassin! Run for your lives!" Ello called out, gesturing for his fellow councilmen to flee alongside him.

As the men took off running, Althea turned to face her would-be killer and sneered, "The Herald has promised us freedom and respect. We will not be denied!"

"The only thing I'll promise you is a swift death, traitor!" shouted Valeera. Glaring up at Ebonlocke, she swiftly gripped her daggers and lunged towards the human. Althea dodged with ease, parrying the blood elf's weapons with her cutlass. She then attempted to slice Valeera's throat, only for her opponent to duck beneath the blade and successfully rend Ebonlocke's torso. The human's chainmail was partially fractured from the blow, though Althea herself remained unharmed. Growling, Althea suddenly raised her foot and delivered a kick to Valeera's chest, slamming the blood elf into the bookshelf behind her. As a few tomes toppled to the floor, Valeera fell to the ground and clutched her abdomen in agony. "You... bitch..." she muttered.

Contemptuously staring down at the fallen assassin, Althea mused, "You will not interfere. The Legion will rise!" She then promptly slammed her lantern against the floor, shattering it and causing the flames within to spill across the ground. As the town hall began to burn from the inside-out, Ebonlocke almost casually departed from the building, leaving the fallen blood elf to be immolated.

Valeera struggled to scramble to her feet, clutching the nearby railing in an attempt to rise. Once she was once more upon two albeit shaky legs, the sin'dorei slowly but surely began to shamble away from the growing inferno. As the fires burned, Valeera's emerald eyes filled with rage and determination.

The blazing ruin of the town hall behind her, Valeera wandered back into the pumpkin patch only to come across something that shattered her already-wounded heart: Bristlefur's broken body. The wyvern had been brutally maimed, likely slaughtered by the most obvious culprit: the Night Watch. His flayed flesh was submersed in a small pool of dark ichor: blood.

She rushed forwards, quickly grasping the wind rider's fur and shaking him almost violently. "Bristlefur...! Wake up... Wake up!..." she cried, uncertain as to whether or not the beast was even alive. Just as there was no response from Bristlefur, so too was there was no warmth beneath his pelt. He was gone.

Eyes widening with fury, Valeera's hatred began to flow. Her hands almost autonomously balled themselves into fists, and she looked to the sky above and screamed. The sin'dorei blood-curdling cry of mourning rang out across Duskwood, dozens of ravens fluttering out from the trees. Just as soon as the anger had been loosed from her body, sorrow took its place. Valeera fell against Bristlefur, tears worming their way out of her eyes and landing upon the deceased animal's hide. She wept, baring her teeth in a mixture of despair and animosity as blonde hair fell against the lifeless wyvern.

Another friend had been taken from her.

It was only after a span of mourning that Valeera began to collect herself. She took deep breaths, remembering that there were still people on Azeroth - companions and allies of hers - that were worth fighting for. She couldn't waste time mourning. Rising from the fallen beast, Valeera gently ruffled the fur upon his head and gave a weary smile. "Rest, Bristlefur... You've earned it..." she lamented, sniffling as she turned away from the wyvern's corpse.

It was time for her to seek out Garona. Sister Ebonlocke was more than likely making her way to Stormwind by now, and Valeera had to stop her. She HAD to stop anyone else from hurting her friends.

She refused to fail another.


	3. The Unseen Blade

Making her way to Stormwind on foot was no easy task. Neither was searching the outskirts of the city for any sign of Garona. Eventually, however, Valeera succeeded in accomplishing both. Spotting the half-orc perched by a small fire just outside of the Alliance's capital, the blood elf made her way towards the makeshift settlement and spoke firmly, "Anar'alah, Garona."

After pivoting to face what she at first believed to an intruder, Garona's features were shorn of their sudden tension at the sight of the other. "Valeera. What happened to you?"

Bitterly exhaling, she explained, "Cultists. They're after Stormwind and the Alliance. Don't worry about me. For now, we have to get in there and stop them; specifically, one called the Herald." She quickly retrieved the translated letter from her person and handed it over to Garona. The half-orc cautiously accepted what was offering and read it over.

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion and worry, but she soon nodded in agreement and replied with certainty, "Stormwind is too important to fall to the Legion, and I don't trust Mathias Shaw or his SI:7 goons to take care of the these acolytes on their own. The two us of us will have to handle this while there's still time."

"Then let's hope there still is and get in there," responded Valeera.

"Use extreme caution. The entire city is on edge from murmurs of the cult's activities, and we're already kill on sight," Garona warned, despite being confident in Valeera's skills as a rogue.

The two exchanged a silent nod of affirmation, then began to stealth their way towards the city's gates.

Already positioned at Stormwind's entrance was a contingent of guards, as well as Mathias Shaw himself. Garona muttered under her breath, "Great... It's Shaw."

Before Valeera could say something herself, Mathias managed to spot the veiled duo in the shadows. Quickly did he assert, "Show yourselves. I don't have time for games."

Sneering vehemently, Garona complied with the human's abrasive request. Valeera scoffed in Shaw's direction, yet did the same. The pair and Mathias exchanged unkind expressions for a moment before the silence was broken by the half-orc's words, "Step aside, Shaw! All of Stormwind will burn unless we finish our work!"

Valeera concurred, "The Veiled Hand will succeed in their efforts if we don't get in there, Mathias."

Balled fists at his side, Shaw retorted, "We're aware of the Veiled Hand's activities. The city is locked down while WE handle the situation. No one enters these gates until this is resolved... especially two of you!" A glare of his pinned down both members of the Uncrowned. Discourteously did the man command, "Stay out of this, fel-corrupted wenches."

It took every ounce of Valeera's willpower not to kill him right then and there.

As Mathias and his squadron walked off, the half-orc angrily murmured, "Arrogant bastard! If we are going to find the Herald, we're going to need a diversion; something big. Hmm..." She pondered the situation for a moment more, an idea dawning after a short span of time. "Ah, yes! Find agent Elling Trias in the Trade District. He should have a smoke bomb. If we set it off somewhere public, the guards will be forced to react. While they are busy investigating the ruckus, we should be able to gather some information and act on it without the risk of heavy reinforcements."

"Sounds like a plan," Valeera curtly replied, cracking her knuckles in preparation.

Glancing towards her, the half-orc apprised, "Until then, watch your step. The city is on high alert, and the guards will kill you on sight." With that, Garona vanished from sight, retreating into the shadows and - likely, Valeera thought - making her own way into Stormwind. The sin'dorei prepared to do the same, stealthing as she approached the gates and beginning to sneak her way through the city's entrance.

Everywhere she looked, there were guardsmen patrolling the Valley of Heroes. Infiltrating Stormwind wouldn't be an easy task, not by a long shot, but Valeera was determined to succeed. Starting to make her way towards the Trade District, the rogue was forced to narrowly avoid the various deputations of guards that had been assigned to the Valley. Before the statue of Turalyon stood General Hammond Clay atop his steed. No sooner had the elven rogue looked upon him from the shadows than the captain called out to his men, "Guards, to your stations! Nobody enters the city until this mess is done with!"

"Sir, yes, sir! Nobody enters the city on our watch," a nearby guard replied, to which Valeera silently huffed and rolled her eyes.

As she continued to skulk past, General Clay commanded once more, "Change position!" With that, the guardsmen shifted about the stone walkway. Valeera withheld a small gasp of shock, just barely managing to reposition herself so that she wouldn't be seen nor spotted.

"Blades at the ready!" another guard called out, the ones beside him rushing forwards as part of a formation. Carefully bounding ahead, Valeera continued to evade their sight.

A guardsman that the blood elf had inadvertently wandered too close to suddenly peered in direction. "I heard something. Show yourself, cretin!" he shouted, drawing the attention of other guards as well.

Wordlessly panicking, Valeera attempted to move away, only to stumble close to another guard as well. He barked in the blood elf's direction, "I smell a cultist! I'll find you in the king's name!"

The king. Anduin.

Frantically did the sin'dorei react, practically scuttling away from the paranoid contingent and making her way into the Trade District. She'd succeeded, but there was still much to be done. Despite the importance of the situation, her thoughts were now clouded by the mention of Anduin. She hadn't seen or spoken to the former prince since before the Shattering. Had he changed at all since they'd last met? Had he become strong and courageous like his father, or was he still the same Anduin she'd known after all this time?

Valeera shook her head, strands of blonde swaying alongside it. She had to focus.

Making her way past more guards that currently swamped the district, she began to scan the signs of various stores throughout. 'Trias' Cheese' was soon spotted, and Valeera snuck her way into the establishment with ease.

Effortlessly spotting the stealthed blood elf, the woman behind the store's counter, Elaine Trias, spoke to her with a soft smile, "Ah, there you are. Elling's waiting for you upstairs." Discarding her veil, Valeera nodded graciously in her direction, then made her way up to the second story of the building.

Elling Trias, noticing the sin'dorei's arrival, greeted her with a nod of his own and, gesturing to a crate of smoke bombs on a nearby table, stated, "Wasn't easy to get this on such short notice, you know."

"You don't have to tell me twice," replied Valeera, grabbing a bomb from the box and hooking it onto her belt.

The man went on, "Once you use the bomb, you'd better hightail it out of there. Hammond and his boys will descend on it like moths to a flame."

"Got it. Thanks again," the sin'dorei spoke, granting the agent a wave as she returned downstairs and exited the establishment.

Outside the Trader's Hall, Officer Jaxon called out to the anxious and fearful public, "Citizens in need of shelter are to report to the Trader's Hall at once." Spotting a number of men and women rushing into the building, a sly smirk was woven across Valeera's face. Carefully did she make her way into the hall, finding the place to be filled to the brim with a worrying populace.

"The situation is under control. You are all completely safe," spoke a town crier, standing at a podium before a crowd of concerned citizens. Worming her way through their numbers, Valeera unhooked the bomb from her belt and prepared to set it off.

Upon being detonated, the explosive unleashed a torrent of smoke into the hall, causing most if not all the citizens present to panic. They screamed in terror, attempting to rush out of the building in a frenzied manner. Amidst the discord, the crier shouted, "Guards! Guards!"

At that, Hammond and his men rushed into the district and attempted to corner those inside the hall. "Secure the entrance! We've got the cultists right where we want them," he ordered, his contingent of guardsmen raising their shields alongside him. Valeera quickly shuffled about the chaos, evading General Clay and his men as she left the building.

After the sin'dorei had managed to relocate herself to a vacant alley, Garona emerged from hiding as well and spoke tersely to her fellow Uncrowned, "I recovered another missive from one of the 'guards.' Sister Ebonlocke is convening with the rest of the Hand over at the Pig and Whistle tavern. Let's move! The Herald is within our grasp..." Just as soon as she'd emerged from the shadows did Garona enter them once again, vanishing without a trace. Blowing a stray strand of blonde out of her face, Valeera huffed. She then began to make her way towards the aforementioned inn, inevitably avoiding more squadrons of guards along the way.

Valeera managed to once again rendezvous with Garona outside the entrance of the Pig and Whistle tavern. Unsuccessfully attempting to gain entry, the half-orc snarled in the direction of her fellow assassin, "The rats locked themselves inside. We need to make them tell us where their leader is hiding."

"I'm on it," the sin'dorei affirmed, stepping towards the door and beginning to pick its lock with one of her blades. It only took a few moments for her to successfully gain entry, upon which an impish smile of hers was imparted in Garona's direction.

The half-orc rolled her eyes, muttering to herself, "Show-off..."

Bursting into the Pig and Whistle, Garona and Valeera found themselves met with a quartet of cultists; Althea Ebonlocke being among them. In a primal fashion did Valeera practically roar at Althea, the thoughts of her fallen wyvern companion driving her to kill.

Ebonlocke's gaze upon the blood elf, she scoffed contemptuously, "This is the last time you disturb our work. Kill them!" Her fellow acolytes obeyed the command, rushing towards them with fel blades and spells alike. A violent brawl between the pair of rogues and the trio of fanatics ensued, resulting in the former being caked with blood and the latter's demise. Sneering at the corpses of her defeated allies, Althea glared viciously at the pair of assassins and shouted, "Fine! Killing you myself will earn me a greater place in the new order."

Before Ebonlocke could even begin her assault, Garona snuck her way behind the cultist and grabbed her from behind, holding down her arms within a crushing grasp. She lifted Althea off the ground, causing the cultist to kick her feet in defiance. "Where is the herald? Speak!" the half-orc impudently inquired, effortlessly incapacitating the smaller human.

Althea winced and struggled to escape Garona's hold, refusing to speak of what her captor wanted to know, "You seek to delay the inevitable. The Legion will wash over this world!"

Silent and desiring vengeance more than anything else, Valeera approached the human with a tight grimace, her eyes burning with the intent to slaughter. She delivered a firm punch to Althea's chest, yelling at her with teeth bared, "Where is the Herald?!"

The cultist spat blood, still denying the two the information they needed with a silent glare.

Again did Valeera roar, mercilessly delivering blow after blow to Althea's entire body. "THIS IS FOR BRISTLEFUR!!" she shouted, rage coursing throughout her veins. Even Garona found herself surprised, almost intimidated, by the display of unrelenting anger. Eventually, the constant bludgeoning caused Althea's body to go limp, and her final words slipped from bruised lips, "He lies... in the keep..."

Almost instantly did Garona drop Ebonlocke's broken body to the ground, allowing it to collapse to the wooden floor with a dull thud. The two rogues exchanged looks of apprehension.

The keep. ANDUIN!

Garona exhaled, attempting to keep her cool. "The keep will be heavily guarded. We should split up. At least one of us has to make it to the Herald alive," she advised.

"Agreed," Valeera stated flatly, similarly attempting to maintain herself despite the fears now welled within her mind. Was Anduin in danger? Was he himself the Herald? She didn't know. She wasn't certain she wanted to know.

"We don't have much time. Get moving!" ordered Garona. Simultaneously did the pair take to the shadows, individually making for the castle in question.

 

 

Valeera had only just entered the Canals before hearing Mathias Shaw call out to his men from afar, "Reinforcements to the keep at once! They're here!"

"Shaw..." she muttered under her breath, the man's insult from earlier still peeving her. Valeera haphazardly evaded detection by the guardsmen that rushed towards the castle drawbridge at Shaw's behest.

After heading there herself, she heard Mathias once again, "Severing, secure the keep gates!"

The paladin he referred to, Lucas Severing, rushed from the keep's outskirts to the drawbridge and hurled his hammer forth, exclaiming fervently, "The Light reveals all!" His weapon slammed into the bridge, causing periodic sparks of holy energy to emanate from the mace. Valeera grunted, now having to avoid being struck by its divine wrath. Timing herself carefully, she fortunately succeeded in doing so, if barely. After skulking past Severing and the guards that flanked him, she took a moment to look briefly upon the statue of Varian that stood just outside the castle. Donning a solemn frown at the sight, the sin'dorei began to make her way up to the keep's entrance; the likes of which were protected by the patrolling high elf Caledra Dawnbreeze and a plethora of traps that were just barely visible to the lone intruder. Providentially did Valeera sneak past both, footsteps silent as she successfully avoided the few remaining guards that stood between her and the throne room.

"Nothing you can say will convince me otherwise! I'm not abandoning this keep!" softly exclaimed the young king, features relaying a stubbornness that Anduin's father wore in life.

The two guardsmen, facing the garden with their backs to the male, remained undeterred by the male's words, one continuing to plead, "You are in danger, King Anduin! We cannot risk losing you!"

Still clinging to the shadows, Valeera entered the throne room and was met with the sight of the matured prince she'd known all those years ago. He'd most definitely grown since their last meeting, and she was actually uncertain as to whether or not she was still taller than him. Even from afar, the blood elf could sense an air of majesty about him that... near-effortlessly enraptured her. It was one that momentarily distracted her, and upon realizing this, Valeera quickly shook her head and once more attempted to remain focused.

There was some kind of fel aura radiating from the garden. Valeera crept towards it, making her way past Anduin and his guards and entering the northwestern wing of the castle. There, she came across a cultist wearing plate armor imbued with fel; one she could only presume to be the Herald who had been spoken of many times prior. Before him was a demonic gateway, and beside him was Garona Halforcen, ensnared by foul, demonic magics.

"Foolish orc! You will be the first to witness the Legion's arrival into my city!" he shouted, keeping Garona captive within a tempest of dark spellcraft. Wordlessly did she hiss in agony, struggling within the grasp of the shadowy prison; to no avail. Approaching the unactivated portal, the Herald went on, "Long have I waited for this day. Let us not waste another moment!" Beginning to read from a massive and occult tome of some kind, the man spoke in a tongue only mildly intelligible to Valeera, "Ered'nash ila mornu nakuun. Ered'nash ban man'ari!" The portal began to glow with a foul light, a blurry, Legion-dominated world just barely visible on the other side.

"They come!" exclaimed Melris Malagan, former Captain of the Stormwind Guard and current Herald of the Legion.

All the while, Valeera had remained undetected by him, even as she angrily growled his name under her breath. She unsheathed her blades and approached Malagan from behind, attempting to do him in with a single blow as she had so many others. Without making a sound did the Herald catch her wrist mid-strike, using an inhuman deal of strength to throw Valeera backwards and into the soil. This caused one of her weapons to slip from her grasp and clatter to the ground. As she winced and recoiled from the blow, Melris spun to face her and spoke, "You're too late, assassin!"

The blood elf spat, rising to her feet and responding curtly, "I didn't come all this way just to be stopped by the likes of you, betrayer. Your end has come."

From afar did Anduin recognize her voice, narrowing his eyes at the sin'dorei across from him and exclaiming, "...Valeera...?!" Still, his guards refused their king entry into the garden, and so he could do nothing but watch. A small part of him knew the former gladiator could handle the situation all on her own.

Malagan chuckled wickedly to himself, raising his blade and rushing towards Valeera in an attempt to slice her open. With ease did the rogue evade his attack, managing to deliver a firm slice of her own to the Herald's chestplate. Melris didn't falter, using the blunt edge of his blade to bash Valeera's skull. The sin'dorei fell to the floor, groaning softly as Melris spoke, "I have seen the beautiful gifts they bring. You do not understand!"

Clutching her head, Valeera hastily clambered to her feet, clutching tightly her remaining dagger and distancing herself from the Herald as he summoned a circle of felfire around where she had previously fallen. She could feel the demonic heat from it gently sear her flesh, to which she painedly grimaced. "There's little to understand... about treachery...!" the sin'dorei retorted, watching helplessly as the gateway became more potent with every passing moment.

The Herald lunged towards her once more, and Valeera was hardly successful in rolling out of the path of his attack. Before she could attempt to strike Malagan once again, the portal was fully opened, to Valeera's utter horror. From the gateway, a battalion of massive imps poured forth, their claws already reaching to shred the rogue's flesh. "They have arrived! Oh, they are even more beautiful than I imagined!" the Herald called out, moving to assault Valeera alongside his fel reinforcements.

One of demons succeeded in tearing a long gash along Valeera's arm, to which the rogue cried out in agony. "VALEERA!!" Anduin exclaimed, furiously attempting to move past his guards as they continued to deny him entry. The blood elf clutched her new, fel-addled wound, glaring viciously at her surroundings. Her skin growing pale as her grip on the lone dagger tightened, Valeera seethed, letting out a primal cry of rage and whirling around several times. Her blade tore through the air, viciously cutting down all the imps present.

Felblood spilled all over the grass, to which Malagan merely scoffed, "Do you not see? Can you not feel their warm embrace?"

"The only thing I see...? YOUR DEATH!!" screamed Valeera, the blood elf leaping off the ground and directing her blade towards the Herald's skull from above. Melris managed skid backwards and avoid the attack, only to find the sin'dorei's dagger once more inches away from his helm. Again, he grabbed her wrist, holding Valeera in place as she remained moments away from ending Melris's life.

To the blood elf, the Herald malevolently affirmed, "My plans will not be ruined. My destiny will not be denied. You will burn!" With that, felfire emerged from the grip he had on Valeera's arm, beginning to crawl across and scorch her flesh. The sin'dorei's teeth pressed so hard against one another that they seemed close to chipping, if not breaking. The two rows parted so that she could scream - a combination of anguish and rage - at the cultist before her, and Valeera used every ounce of willpower and strength to drive her blade into Melris's neck.

Silently, the Herald bled corrupted ichor from the wound, one final word slipping out from his helm, "M-master...?" He then toppled over, the lifeless body of Melris Malagan falling to the dirt. With his death, the portal was closed, and Garona was freed from her imprisonment.

Landing on her feet, Halforcen looked to her wounded ally and called out, "Valeera! Are you alright?!"

Valeera staggered, lids falling over her eyes as the world around her beginning to fade. Finally did the king's guards step aside, causing Anduin to sprint across the garden in a panicked fashion. Close to passing out, the blood elf lost her balance and collapsed. Fortunately for her, Anduin managed to rush towards her just in time to catch her waned body. Though physical strength was far from his forte, he held the sin'dorei with all the might he could muster, speaking concernedly to the former gladiator, "I've got you! You're going to be okay...!"

As Garona got to her feet and approached her fellow assassin, Anduin fell to his knees and held Valeera close, beginning to mend what injuries he could using the Holy Light. The sin'dorei stirred only slightly as the gaping tears in her skin gradually healed. "Our work is done," Halforcen solemnly affirmed, glancing over at Melris's corpse.

Continuing to rejuvenate Valeera, the boy-king replied, "...I can't believe Captain Malagan of all people would betray us like he did..."

"Careful who you trust, young king. This is a dark time for us all. Is... she going to be okay?" inquired Garona, gesturing to the unconscious blood elf.

Slowly, Anduin nodded. "She should be... I... I hope..." he nervously, worriedly responded. The uncertainty within him was plain for all to see.

From behind the boy-king, Mathias Shaw and a squadron of guards approached. Garona's hands suddenly reached for her daggers. "We're not here to fight you," Shaw explained, looking to Halforcen with a stern expression. "Where my men failed to stop this cultist, you two did not. That spares you from prison at the very least."

"Mathias!" Anduin rebuked, casting a soft glare in the direction of SI:7's leader.

Shaw sighed, pinning down the half-orc with an adamant gaze, "Once the elf is healed, you and her are to leave this place. Am I understood, assassin?"

Again did the boy-king glare in Mathias's direction, "Absolutely not!" He turned to Garona. "You and Valeera are welcome to stay for as long as you wish. It's the least I can offer for all you've accomplished today."

Garona gave the youngling a gentle, gracious grin, yet affirmed with certainty, "I must return to Dalaran for the time being. Important matters to attend to there. I trust Valeera is in good hands, Anduin."

The boy-king nodded. "I will see her make a full recovery, Garona. Thank you again," he stated, grateful as ever for the services of such heroes.

As the half-orc dipped her head respectfully, Shaw rolled his eyes and scoffed. With that, Garona vanished in a sudden and brief cloud of smoke. She was gone, leaving Anduin, Valeera, Shaw, and the guardsmen just behind the trio.

"My king, with all due respect, I would keep a close eye on this one when she awakens if I were you," advised Mathias.

Anduin's reply was swift, "Nonsense, Master Shaw. She's an old friend. I trust her."

"...Mm. Very well, young king."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woot!! Valeera confirmed for Heroes of the Storm! :D We don't need Anduin in there just yet, though. He's much too fragile. 
> 
> In any case, that takes care of all the in-game content for the time being, so you should see an increase in the quality of writing now that I don't have to adhere to that.


End file.
